


July Flame

by NonbinaryHylian (chicagoartnerd)



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Awkward Dates, Awkward Romance, First Dates, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), Windblade plays matchmaker for these two doofuses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-03 20:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19472020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chicagoartnerd/pseuds/NonbinaryHylian
Summary: Bumblebee is trying to give Starscream some space but it's hard when all he wants to do is be near him like he used to be again. Starscream is being typically paranoid and stubborn about the whole situation. The two of them require an intervention.





	July Flame

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CharlieNitram](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlieNitram/gifts).



> Ahhhhhh this ended up being way longer than I meant it to be because I have -5000% chill when it comes to world building and banter. I couldn't help myself as I have all these headcannons about what a mixed species Earth colony would like after Unicron. This is taking place about 4 years after Unicron btw. I hope you like the Starbee date though @charlienitram!!! I seriously considered doing the Lady and the Tramp noodle moment but refrained...
> 
> For more of my Transformers shenanigans and for prompts and stuff follow me @ basilbing on Twitter!

Starscream was avoiding him.

Bumblebee had expected it at first, he needed space, Primus knows he deserved it after everything he'd been through. Having Bee involuntarily hover around him for seven years straight and then spending a year tethered to him as a ghost after martyring himself for the good of species had stressed Starscream out. He did actually deserve to be cut some slack now that he had returned to his corporeal form. Yet Bumblebee was getting frustrated. He missed him. Sure they both worked in Windblade’s New Council of Worlds post-Unicron reconstruction government. They did speak daily, always about work, always with other bots in the room.

He was giving him space, most of his frustration was directed at himself anyway. He’d gone and fallen in love with the pain in the aft. That was the root of all these tangled emotions in his processor. And as patient as he was trying to be he wanted him, his spark ached to be near his. He knew he sometimes let his longing leak out into his field. Starscream kept his so close under his plating he could never tell if he had noticed or not. So he had tried to reach out tentatively only to be ignored. Sometimes actively avoided when Bee tried to chase him down after a Council meeting.

But, lucky for him, he wasn’t the only one who noticed what Starscream was up to. 

Windblade liked to hold impromptu after work gatherings at various bars and restaurants around Little Cybertron. At first Starscream had avoided them out of spite but soon he realized they were great for networking, gathering gossip, and forging alliances. Windblade would invite all sorts of people to them, organics included, as most gathering places in Little Cybertron catered to mixed species clientele. Bee had tried to approach him at several of these mixers only to find himself waylaid by various other guests before he could even approach Starscream. It was...discouraging. 

He was preparing himself for another night of staring wistfully across the crowded room at him, but when he showed up The Blue Bottle was empty. It was a sweltering day on Bikini Atoll though the sun had set an hour ago and fans in the open air restaurant were making it cool enough not to overheat his systems. The proprietors, Blueskimmer and Kaz, were behind the bar cleaning glasses and flirting merrily with each other. The sight of them together made Bee grin, Little Cybertron was full of happily bonded couples now, lots of them cross-species. It gave the city a brightly colored, raucous, celebratory atmosphere. It made him only a little bit bitter not to be among them. 

Kaz winked half of their six eyes at Bee and gestured towards the open patio to the side of the restaurant. “You’re right on time, and fortunately for you he’s early, less chance for him to pull a runner.”

Bee tilted his head in confusion and that got a laugh out of both the owners before they gestured him out towards the patio again. He shrugged and walked out the open wooden archway onto the cement side patio. The wooden fencing around the patio opened onto the white sand beach, the sounds of the waves a gentle background hiss. The blue and green striped umbrellas over all the tables and the fence posts had been strung up with fairy lights, each table had a flickering electric candle on it. The sun was below the horizon now, turning everything a dusky purple.

It was beautiful and romantic, he realized with a start, as he noticed the singular bot sitting at the farthest table closest to the water. 

Starscream looked up jerkily as he walked out onto the patio and grimaced slightly. Okay. Well they were off to a great start on, whatever this was turning out to be. Bee tried to smile as he walked quickly towards him, he could see the twitch of his wings that meant he was getting ready to flee.

Before he could they both got an internal comm from Windblade.

_ WB: Hey guys I’m so so sorry but everyone cancelled at the last minute so it’s just you two tonight. Don’t worry though, as an apology dinner and drinks are on me! Try and have a nice time regardless. Oh and Starscream, if you leave before 10pm I’ll know and you won’t be meeting with the Tethian trade magnates any time soon. _

Starscream grit his denta and seethed as Bee sat down gingerly across the table from him. He was angrily looking anywhere but at him and that hurt a little bit. 

Bee sighed audibly. Starscream snapped to yell back into the restaurant. “Kaz! Bring me your most expensive engex, something pre-war vintage, not that blue solar voltaic swill your serve the rabble around here.”

He smiled a bit at that. Of course Starscream was going to make Windblade pay for her good-sparked scheming, literally. 

His red optics flicked towards him for the first time and he sneered at his small smile. “What’s so amusing?”

Bumblebee chuckled lightly and shook his head. “Nothing. It’s just good to see you Star.”

That was the wrong thing to say and he regretted it immediately as he watched Starscream hike his wings up and lock his shoulders defensively. 

His voice was razor sharp when he spoke. “I have no idea what you’re on about, we see each other every day, with annoying frequency. Also don’t call me that.”

Bee held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry. And you know what I mean Starscream. Look I get it, you’re practically allergic to spark to spark convos, but that doesn’t mean our only interactions should be about Tetrahexian land rights and Vos’s electrical grid efficiency.”

Bumblebee continued bravely when he didn't shout at him.“For example: how’s Thundercracker doing in Hollywood? I know you talk to him and Marissa way more than I do.”

Starscream eyed him warily, checking over Bee’s offered olive branch for hidden thorns. Then Kaz came over to the table carrying a tall thin bottle of purple engex, two glasses, and two menus in their four hands. They smiled with their pointed green teeth as they presented the menus to both of them and the bottle to Starscream. “Old Vos triple filtered. Sol. date 100045 e. I take it this will do?”

Starscream made a show of turning his nose up haughtily but Bee knew him well enough that he could tell he was pleased with the bottle. “I suppose it will have to. I don’t know what else I was expecting from a place _Windblade_ loves to frequent.”

Kaz laughed good-naturedly and then tapped the menus on the table. “Tonight we’re doing small plates to share. Order anything that sounds good. Talos is excited to debut some of her new recipes and Blue and I can personally attest that they are worth the wait.”

Starscream rolled his optics as Bee nodded at Kaz as he spoke. “Thanks Kaz, I’m sure they’re all amazing as always. Talos really has a way with oil, minerals, and energon.”

Kazz grinned at him and nodded. “That she does. But food's not the only thing she’s good at having her wicked way with. Though it is the main reason we keep her around, that and the fact that she’s triple jointed in her hips.” He winked at Bee mischievously and he couldn’t help but laugh at Starscream’s scandalized expression. 

Everyone knew Kaz and Blueskimmer were dating their Elonian chef, though some people seemed more approving of it than others. Starscream had never been good about respecting organics, though he was trying now that Thundercracker was married to one. Kaz poured them both a glass from the slightly fizzy purple engex before Starscream could protest and then left the table to go back inside. Starscream took a quick swig of the drink as he tried to pick up the menu. He had to stop to savor it though. His optics closed and he moved it around his mouth slowly, ex-venting in a warm hum of delight. 

Bee watched mesmerized and when Starscream onlinned his optics he caught him staring and he blushed! That was not the reaction he had been expecting so he didn’t stop looking at him avidly and that made Starscream squirm a little. Oh. Wasn’t that just...interesting? 

Starscream was studiously not looking at him as he took another sip of his drink and stared blankly down at the menu. “Thundercracker is off shooting another one of his movies, this time in Malaysia or some place equally hot, wet, and disgustingly verdant. I don’t think Marissa is with him, something about that mutt of theirs being too old to travel internationally anymore. I haven’t seen them since their honeymoon here though so I wouldn’t know all the petty details.”

Bumblebee could have practically jumped for joy. They were talking about something other than work! He was going to have to tread very carefully, he’d already misstepped once, but this might not be a total disaster of a date. That’s what this was wasn’t it? He and Starscream were on a dinner date. He was going to have to buy Windblade something extravagant and exciting the next time he was stationed on the Galactic Council’s central nexus hub. 

Bee smiled again and nodded. “I saw them when they were here last year, they both seemed really happy. I’m glad they’re still doing well.”

Starscream made a noncommittal noise and kept looking at his menu distractedly. Bumblebee decided to take a look at his own to break the lull in conversation. It all looked delicious, he was particularly interested in the cold energon noodles soup. It was styled after Japanese somen and Bee already knew Talos’s oil noodles were amazing. He also had an interest in the rust and iron shaved dry ice. 

He briefly realized they were supposed to share the plates and was about to ask Starscream what he wanted when Kaz returned and Starscream addressed him authoritatively. “We’ll have the cesium ceviche, cold oil noodles, energon dumplings, and rust and iron shaved dry ice to start with.”

Kaz simply said “Of course” and took Starscream’s menu and left while grinning at Bee’s surprised expression. Starscream looked at him challengingly but Bee just smiled wider at him. He had gotten his order right so there was no harm in letting him order for both of them. His spark was singing warmly in his chest. 

Starscream looked away from Bumblebee and muttered. “Stop that. It’s embarrassing. You’re embarrassing.”

Bumblebee huffed a laugh, he was smiling so hard it ached. “What? The smiling? I don’t think I could stop even if I wanted to.”

Starscream looked at him then, his red optics surprisingly fierce. Bee didn’t flinch, his smile became softer, trying to show Starscream he really didn’t represent a threat to him. Bumblebee knew him too well, too intimately. It made him defensive when he didn’t have to be.

Starscream’s voice was low and strangely strangled when he spoke. “What are you playing at hm, what’s your little game? What is it that you want from me exactly Bumblebee?”

Bee sighed and painstakingly slowly moved his hand across the table, palm up towards Starscream’s clenched fist next to his half full glass of engex. “This. For now just you, just us talking about something non-government related, sharing a meal. I meant what I said earlier. I’ve missed you, just being next to you. After all this time I’ve wanted to...well what I want to do right now is to hold your hand, if you’ll let me.”

Starscream made a loud scoffing noise as he blushed and Bee watched in amazement as he tentatively laced their fingers together. His clawed blue fingers gripping his blunt black ones in an almost vice-like hold.

He wasn’t looking at him, his shoulders tense again as he spoke. “Really? You Autobots are so sentimental. You could have asked for more than just that you know. Not that I would have said yes mind you.”

Bee’s smile was radiant. “I know, but for now this is more than I could have hoped for. So thank you.”

Starscream fidgeted as Bumblebee squeezed his hand reassuringly then brought it to his lips, kissing the top of it lightly. He felt his optics boring into him like a physical weight as the first flicker of his field surrounded them. It was tight and anxious but there was affection there and something in Bee’s spark unclenched. Starscream yanked his hand back as Kaz came out onto the patio carrying a tray with their meal. They turned and winked slyly at Bee before setting down the food and leaving them alone again.

Bumblebee went for the oil noodles first and as he suspected they were delicious. He and Starscream ate in companionable silence, their metal chopsticks clicking quietly along with the susurration of the ocean waves behind them. He wordlessly offered some of his noodles to him and Starscream ate off his plate instead of eating off his offered chopsticks, Bee just shrugged. 

They came down to the last energon dumpling at the same time, their chopsticks clacking against each other comically loudly. 

Bee was going to let him have it when Starscream spoke. “Let’s split it.” He took a bite out of half of it then shoved the rest of it in Bee’s face. Bumblebee reflexively opened his mouth and let him place it inside before closing it. Starscream’s fingers lingered on his closed lips as he chewed it slowly. Both of their gazes trained on each other heatedly. 

He jerked them back as Bee whispered. “And what about you, what do you want from me Starscream?”

Starscream’s fingers tapped his mostly empty glass of engex anxiously as he looked off towards the dark endless black shape of the ocean and bit his lip. “I...I’m sure I can think of something appropriately devious to ask for eventually but as of right now? This is fine. I suppose I can forgive Windblade her meddling this once, as this dinner has been...nice.”

He made a sour face at the last bit and Bee couldn’t stop his chuckle so he tried to hide it by taking a sip of the expensive engex. It was good, sharp and smooth with a fruity aftertaste. It was also purple and from Vos, it reminded him fondly of certain bot who was now glaring at him. 

Bumblebee shook his head and stood, offering his black hand to Starscream expectantly. “Let’s go look at the stars on the beach.”

He hesitated and clasped his hands together hard to stop them wavering. “Windblade said she would hinder my perfectly above board efforts to court the Tethian trade delegation if we didn’t stay until 10.”

Bee just smiled and wiggled his fingers at him. “It’s almost midnight. Plus I’m sure I could find a way to set that meeting up for you though my Galactic Council contacts if she won’t.”

Starscream’s optics flashed with interest at that as he took Bee’s hand and followed him a little shyly towards the beach. They stopped just above the waterline, the waves almost touching their feet, and looked up at the glowing star-filled expanse above them. Bee squeezed his hand and was pleased when he returned the gesture. Bumblebee turned to look at him and almost jumped when he realized he was leaning down towards him, their faces suddenly very close. 

Blue optics locked onto red and he watched Starscream’s dark gray lips as he mumbled. “I’ve just thought of something else I want.”

Bee answered before he could consciously think. “Yes.” It wasn’t a question but a confirmation. 

Starscream leaned in the rest of the way and they were kissing. It was delightfully gentle and sweet. Bumblebee hummed happily and reached up with his other hand to drag Starscream down further deepening the kiss. The taller bot laughed in his throat and kept kissing him, slowly nibbling at his lower lip. Bee was the first to use his glossa and Starscream made a purr of approval before letting him into his mouth. Everything was still exploratory, careful and slow. It felt fantastic. His other hand on his hip, blue clawed fingers playing with the wires in the transformation seams there. This what he had been longing for. 

Starscream pulled away first and rested his forehead against his. “As much as I’m...enjoying this I should probably make my dramatic exit. Can’t give too much away on the first date.” He winked a burning red optic at him and Bumblebee laughed.

He felt so light for the first time in years. 

Bee was feeling bold so he kissed him once more before pulling away and smirking. “Of course. Goodnight Starscream. We’ll have to do this again sometime soon, very soon.”

Starscream smirked back at him coyly before engaging his thrusters and hovering in the air just out Bee’s reach. “I might have lunch free tomorrow, although I get to pick the establishment, preferably somewhere with walls and air conditioning.”

Bee knew his smile was goofy as he nodded avidly. “Yes! That sounds great to me. It’s a date.”

Starscream’s field washed over him and it was giddy as he flashed him a fanged grin and transformed fully into his jet form, cruising away into the night. Bumblebee watched him go, his red orange engines becoming faint dots among starry sky, and felt excited for the future again. No amount of post-Unicron rebuilding had made him feel so bubbly and upbeat. 

There was some hope for the two of them yet. 

He was definitely going to have to send Windblade a thank-you energon goodie basket...or three.


End file.
